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The Grandfather of Self Help

Kate Williams investigates the success and lasting legacy of Samuel Smiles's 1859 book 'Self-Help'. With Michael Portillo. From July 2009.

Historian Kate Williams investigates the success and lasting legacy of Samuel Smiles' 1859 book Self Help.

It outsold both Darwin's On the Origin of Species and Mill's On Liberty, also published that year, and gave birth to the idea that we can all achieve greatness through the application of sheer hard work.

Kate finds out if it contains a message for our own times, examines its enduring popularity and meets some of those who have been influenced by its ideas, including former politician Michael Portillo, who also reveals the book's influence on Margaret Thatcher.

25 minutes

Last on

Wed 24 Jan 201801:30
BBC Radio 4 Extra

Credit

ProducerMark Rickards

Broadcasts

  • Mon 27 Jul 200911:30
    BBC Radio Scotland
  • Sat 1 Aug 200920:30
    BBC Radio Scotland
  • Thu 15 Oct 200922:05
    BBC Radio Scotland
  • Tue 23 Jan 201806:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tue 23 Jan 201813:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Tue 23 Jan 201820:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Wed 24 Jan 201801:30
    BBC Radio 4 Extra